Abandoned Motor Vehicles

(LAW ENFORCEMENT)

Once it has been established by a law enforcement agency that a vehicle has been abandoned, and after specific guidelines for owner notification have been met, a Certificate of Title is issued with the brand “Abandoned” noted in the Previous Title Number position. The local county official issues abandoned titles to the law enforcement agency under whose jurisdiction the vehicle was abandoned.

A motor vehicle may be considered abandoned by law enforcement if

• left unattended with no license plates or valid In-Transit decals affixed thereto, for more than SIX hours on any public property;
• left unattended more than twenty-four hours on any public property, except a portion thereof on which parking is legally permitted;
• left unattended more than forty-eight hours, after the parking of such vehicle shall have become illegal, if left on a portion of a public property on which parking is legally permitted;
• left unattended more than SEVEN days on private property if left initially without permission of the owner or after permission of the owner is terminated;
• left unattended more than thirty days in the custody of a law enforcement agency after the agency has sent a letter to the last-registered owner.
• removed from private property by a municipality pursuant to a municipal ordinance.

After the abandoned title has been issued, the law enforcement agency is charged with final disposition of the vehicle.

Public property is defined as any public right-of-way, street, highway, alley, park or other state, county or municipally owned property. All other property is defined as private.

If a vehicle has been left after storage or repair work has been completed, refer to Storage-Repair Lien procedures.

If a vehicle has been left on private property, refer to Private Parking Lot Towed Vehicles.

If you would like information regarding a motorboat that has been abandoned, refer to Abandoned – Motorboats.

If you would like information regarding an ATV or Minibike that has been abandoned, refer to Abandoned – ATVs and Minibikes.

Questions regarding Abandoned Motor Vehicles may be addressed to Email or by contacting this office at (402) 471-3918.

This page last revised 8/28/2009